In an incredible feat of technology, Abu Dhabi Festival 2010 played host to yet another cultural first last night, with a live, high-definition screening of ‘Hamlet' - the opera by Ambroise Thomas. Live from New York City, The Metropolitan Opera's new production drew an audience of UAE opera fans.
When we think of operatic adaptations of Shakespeare, they all seem to come from Verdi: Otello, Macbeth, and Falstaff. Hundreds more have been attempted, but most are deemed failures, unable to translate the complexity of Shakespeare's plots into music.
Verdi's La Traviata returns to the Met with Angela Gheorghiu reprising her acclaimed interpretation of Violetta, a role the New York Times called a 'supercharged star turn' when she performed it in 2006.
The Metropolitan Opera's new production of Offenbach's Les Contes d'Hoffmann, conducted by Met Music Director James Levine and directed by Tony Award winner Bartlett Sher, premieres on THIRTEEN'S Great Performances at the Met series.
The Shakespeare Society (Michael Sexton, Artistic Director) has announced that Songs for Ophelia, a special one-night-only collaboration with the Metropolitan Opera (which is currently presenting Amboise Thomas' Hamlet), will take place on Monday, March 22 at 7:00pm at Peter Norton Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway at 95 Street.
The Metropolitan Opera announced today that it has been awarded a $1.1 million endowment grant from the Lauritz Melchior Heldentenor Foundation, which is dissolving and turning over its assets to the Met.
Ambroise Thomas's Hamlet returns to the Met stage for its first performances since 1897, with the powerful pairing of Simon Keenlyside in the title role and Marlis Petersen as Ophélie. Keenlyside's acclaimed interpretation of Hamlet in Geneva, London and Barcelona finally arrives in the United States, with a performance in the Patrice Caurier and Moshe Leiser production that was hailed by the British press as 'magnificent . . . sheer vocal genius.' Petersen, who steps in for Natalie Dessay, brings her haunting portrayal of Ophélie to the Met; she earned praise for the role during a 2006 run of Hamlet in Düsseldorf. Louis Langrée conducts a cast that includes Jennifer Larmore as Gertrude, Toby Spence in his Met debut as Laërte, and James Morris in the role of Claudius. Jane Archibald, in her Met debut, sings the role of Ophélie on April 5 and 9. The creative team is rounded out by Christian Fenouillat with set designs, Agostino Cavalca with costume designs, and Christophe Forey with lighting designs, all in their Met debuts. Performances run through April 9, with the March 27 matinee shown worldwide as part of The Met: Live in HD
Ambroise Thomas's Hamlet returns to the Met stage for its first performances since 1897, with the powerful pairing of Simon Keenlyside in the title role and Marlis Petersen as Ophélie. Keenlyside's acclaimed interpretation of Hamlet in Geneva, London and Barcelona finally arrives in the United States, with a performance in the Patrice Caurier and Moshe Leiser production that was hailed by the British press as 'magnificent . . . sheer vocal genius.' Petersen, who steps in for Natalie Dessay, brings her haunting portrayal of Ophélie to the Met; she earned praise for the role during a 2006 run of Hamlet in Düsseldorf. Louis Langrée conducts a cast that includes Jennifer Larmore as Gertrude, Toby Spence in his Met debut as Laërte, and James Morris in the role of Claudius. Jane Archibald, in her Met debut, sings the role of Ophélie on April 5 and 9. The creative team is rounded out by Christian Fenouillat with set designs, Agostino Cavalca with costume designs, and Christophe Forey with lighting designs, all in their Met debuts. Performances run through April 9, with the March 27 matinee shown worldwide as part of The Met: Live in HD
The Barbican Centre today announced the 2010-11 Great Performers programme: space exploration, serial killers, the return of Sellars and three operas based on a 38,736 line poem launch the Barbican's classical music season.
When we think of operatic adaptations of Shakespeare, they all seem to come from Verdi: Otello, Macbeth, and Falstaff. Hundreds more have been attempted, but most are deemed failures, unable to translate the complexity of Shakespeare's plots into music.
Dmitri Shostakovich's The Nose has its Metropolitan Opera premiere on March 5 at 8:00 pm, conducted by Valery Gergiev, in a visually arresting new production by artist William Kentridge that features original collage, film, sculpture, and massive projections of the artist's drawings and prints. Making his Met debut, baritone Paulo Szot performs the role of Kovalyov in the story of the Russian official who wakes one morning to discover his nose has disappeared (and taken on a higher bureaucratic rank). Based on the short story of the same name by Nikolai Gogol, the opera is what Kentridge has called an exploration of "learning from the absurd." In this production, visuals include renderings of Soviet workers, snatches of newspaper, and projections of propaganda - as well as the missing appendage in adventures ranging from delivering a speech to riding a horse.
The Metropolitan Opera's new production of Offenbach's Les Contes d'Hoffmann, conducted by Met Music Director James Levine and directed by Tony Award winner Bartlett Sher, premieres on THIRTEEN'S Great Performances at the Met series.
Seven new productions, including two company premieres and the first two parts of a new Ring cycle, featuring many of the world's greatest singers and conductors, will highlight the Metropolitan Opera's 2010-11 season.
The Metropolian Opera has announced their 2010-2011 season. The season will include productions directed by Broadway Tony Winner Bartlett Sher and Nicholas Hytner.
Franco Vassallo will sing the role of Ezio in Verdi's Attila on March 19, 22, and 27, replacing Carlos Alvarez, who is ill. Vassallo is currently appearing at the Met as Figaro in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, the role of his 2005 company debut. Last season the Italian baritone was Belcore in L'Elisir d'Amore, and in 2007, audiences around the world saw him as Riccardo in The Met: Live in HD transmission of I Puritani, now available in DVD.
Diana Damrau and Juan Diego Flórez star in La Fille du Régiment, Donizetti's comedy about the tough-hearted young woman who was rescued and raised by the 21st regiment of the French army, and her romance with a hapless soldier-suitor.
Puccini's love story La Bohème returns to the Metropolitan Opera on Saturday, February 20, with Russian soprano Anna Netrebko and Polish tenor Piotr Becza?a as Puccini's star-crossed lovers, Mimì and Rodolfo.
Michael Hendrick will sing the role of Bacchus in this evening's performance of Richard Strauss's Ariadne auf Naxos, replacing Lance Ryan who is ill.
Diana Damrau and Juan Diego Flórez star in La Fille du Régiment, Donizetti's comedy about the tough-hearted young woman who was rescued and raised by the 21st regiment of the French army, and her romance with a hapless soldier-suitor.
Verdi's Attila will have its Met premiere on February 23, conducted by Riccardo Muti and directed by Pierre Audi in their Met debuts.
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